Refugees by country of asylum in Iraq
Iraq: Refugees by country of asylum was 318,461 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Refugees by country of asylum in Iraq, 1979–2024
Source: UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2024, refugees by country of asylum in Iraq stood at 318,461 people. That is the highest value across all 44 years on record.
The figure is up 11.2% on the previous year and up 17.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum in Iraq peaked at 318,461 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 400 people, in 1979.
That places Iraq 23rd out of 183 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Refugees by country of asylum in Iraq, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 400 people | — |
| 1980 | 400 people | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 1,200 people | +200.0% |
| 1982 | 1,200 people | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 1,200 people | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 1,200 people | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 83,200 people | +6833.3% |
| 1986 | 111,000 people | +33.4% |
| 1987 | 1,000 people | -99.1% |
| 1990 | 900 people | -10.0% |
| 1991 | 87,990 people | +9676.7% |
| 1992 | 115,000 people | +30.7% |
| 1993 | 109,066 people | -5.2% |
| 1994 | 119,581 people | +9.6% |
| 1995 | 116,722 people | -2.4% |
| 1996 | 112,957 people | -3.2% |
| 1997 | 104,032 people | -7.9% |
| 1998 | 104,022 people | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 128,913 people | +23.9% |
| 2000 | 127,787 people | -0.9% |
| 2001 | 128,142 people | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 134,190 people | +4.7% |
| 2003 | 46,721 people | -65.2% |
| 2004 | 46,053 people | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 50,177 people | +9.0% |
| 2006 | 44,406 people | -11.5% |
| 2007 | 42,352 people | -4.6% |
| 2008 | 39,503 people | -6.7% |
| 2009 | 35,213 people | -10.9% |
| 2010 | 34,647 people | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 35,184 people | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 98,818 people | +180.9% |
| 2013 | 246,294 people | +149.2% |
| 2014 | 271,137 people | +10.1% |
| 2015 | 277,702 people | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 261,863 people | -5.7% |
| 2017 | 277,668 people | +6.0% |
| 2018 | 283,018 people | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 273,986 people | -3.2% |
| 2020 | 270,377 people | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 280,072 people | +3.6% |
| 2022 | 273,716 people | -2.3% |
| 2023 | 286,480 people | +4.7% |
| 2024 | 318,461 people | +11.2% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 318,461 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 6,251 people, 50.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 318,461 people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 16,250 people, 19.6× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees by country of asylum in Iraq changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +9676.7% | 900 people | 87,990 people |
| 1985 | +6833.3% | 1,200 people | 83,200 people |
| 1981 | +200.0% | 400 people | 1,200 people |
| 2012 | +180.9% | 35,184 people | 98,818 people |
| 2013 | +149.2% | 98,818 people | 246,294 people |
| 1987 | -99.1% | 111,000 people | 1,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 400 people | 400 people | 400 people | 1 |
| 1980s | 25,050 people | 400 people | 111,000 people | 8 |
| 1990s | 99,918 people | 900 people | 128,913 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 69,454 people | 35,213 people | 134,190 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 206,032 people | 34,647 people | 283,018 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 285,821 people | 270,377 people | 318,461 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More reference data data for Iraq
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2116 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.19 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 7.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3911 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 7.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.7096 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.235 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 13.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 30.36 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.13 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of asylum in Iraq?
- Refugees by country of asylum in Iraq was 318,461 people in 2024, according to UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 318,461 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 400 people in 1979.
- How does Iraq rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- Iraq ranks 23rd out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Refugees by country of asylum. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 44 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
People who fled their country of origin and are in need of international protection. Refugees are those who have already been granted asylum status in the country they moved to. This includes all refugees who live in this country, not just those who arrived that year.